Baseball: Northwestern baseball aims for a fresh start with new faces

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Daily file photo by Mika Ellison

Junior David Utagawa throws a pitch against a Notre Dame batter in May.

Skye Swann, Senior Staffer

Despite a strong start to the 2022 season, Northwestern baseball finished the spring with a losing record and lost key players —  infielder Patrick Herrera, left-handed pitcher Sean Sullivan and center fielder Ethan O’Donnell — to the transfer portal.

The Wildcats made a comeback late last season, raising hopes for a run in the 2021 Big Ten Tournament until they got derailed by conference foe Ohio State. Following the losses, NU experienced a shift in the program with the graduation of infielder Anthony Calarco and the hiring of coach Jim Foster.

Working as the head coach at Army, Foster was named 2022 Patriot League Coach of the Year for leading Army to four conference titles and NCAA Tournament appearances. His leadership and success with Army is promising for the future of the Cats’ 2023 season.

With a weak finish and a handful of change-ups inside the program this past year, NU’s outcome this season remains a mystery. After losing critical players, and possibly more, to the transfer portal and the hiring of new management, the upcoming season will showcase several changes. 

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